GICUMBI – A team of education specialists on Thursday said there is need to attract top talent into the education sector as part of efforts to uplift education standards in the country.

During a three-day workshop conducted by the Teachers Service Commission in Gicumbi district, participants said the culture of people joining education as the last resort undermines the teaching profession.

The workshop, meant to harness ideas for teacher education and management reform policies, drew education specialists from the Teachers Service Commission, Teacher training colleges, public and private universities and development partners.

"There is need to produce quality teachers because there is no quality education without quality teachers,” the Executive Secretary of the Teachers Service Commission, Emmanuel Muvunyi, said, stressing the importance of teacher training in improving education standards. 

Participants at the workshop were divided into five groups, with each group assigned a particular task to be included in the teacher training and management reform policy. 

The participants also recommended the establishment of National Teacher Licensing systems (NTLS) and harmonisation of teachers’ qualifications from Diploma level (A1) to degree level (A0). 

"Our vision is to create standardisation and harmonisation to create quality teachers,” said John Simpson, from the British Council Rwanda English in Action Program (REAP) Advisor.

The officer in-charge of teacher development at the Teachers Service Commission Antoine Mutsinzi, said there is need to improve in-service training for teachers.

Ends